


Talk Soft

by sandymg



Series: Talk Series [2]
Category: CW Network RPF, Supernatural RPF
Genre: J-Squared, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-15
Updated: 2012-09-15
Packaged: 2017-11-14 07:24:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/512774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandymg/pseuds/sandymg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After talking on the phone for weeks, Jared surprises Jensen for the first time in his usual coffee shop. Jensen tries to remember to breathe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Talk Soft

**Author's Note:**

> Part 2 of the Talk Verse
> 
> Disclaimer: This is fiction. No harm intended. No profit made.

Jensen enters the Coffee Break and walks purposely to the counter. Sally is there, as always. Her golden brown hair is up in a swirly ponytail, with loose tendrils falling all over. She tilts her head toward Mitch in the back who says something to her, and Jensen studies the band holding her hair.

“One inch.”

Sally’s head spins back to him. “Oh. Hey, hi Jensen. What was that?”

Jensen’s head falls, his glasses start to slide down the slope of his nose and he pokes them back in place, forcing his head up a little in the process. “Just that if you used a one inch band, you’d be able to capture more hair and then it wouldn’t fall out. The one you have now is about a quarter inch. I mean, that’s a guess. But given the texture of your hair and the necessary force to hold it all in place. I think one inch would take care of it.”

Sally gives him a queer little smile. “I … okay. I’ll try that. Thanks. Um, the usual?”

He nods, satisfied that when he speaks with Jared later he’ll be able to say he spoke to Sally. It’s important to Jared that Jensen speak with people other than just him. Jensen doesn’t totally understand why quantity should matter but anything that’s important to Jared is also important to Jensen.

Sally returns with his skinny latte and smiles as she hands it to him. “Going to work here a while again?” she asks as he drops his change into the tip jar.

He nods, feeling the weight of his laptop bag on his shoulder. And then remembers and says, “Yes.”

Mitch comes around to the front and restocks the muffins. “Keeping us safe from those terrorists?”

Jensen reddens. “I didn’t say—“

Sally frowns and swats Mitch with a wet cloth. “Golden rule, asshole.”

“I didn’t mean anything. Jensen knows that, right buddy?”

Jensen has had people call him ‘buddy’ before. When you graduate college at fifteen and complete your PhD before you’re twenty you find yourself befriended in a variety of ways. Sometimes the person means it. Shows true kindness and treats the little freakishly smart kid not quite as an equal but as a fellow human being. Other times, the buddy line is said but not meant. Jensen was so very smart. But somehow not smart enough to always know the difference. He’d been coming to the Coffee Break for weeks now. He mostly spoke with Sally. Mitch had joined in once or twice. He didn’t know Mitch. Didn’t know whether to trust …

His heart starts to pound and he feels the sweat build on his forehead. This is why it is easier to stay at home. There he could work at his computer on the assignments the Defense Department gave him. Cracking codes was easy. Well, easier than this. Ciphers also tried to fool you, but in a totally different way.

A familiar voice breaks his shaky thoughts. “Jensen.”

Jensen’s back tenses. He _knows_ that voice. Slowly, he turns. Jared stands before him, eyes locked on Mitch.

“Jared?” Jensen asks tentatively.

They’ve spoken on the phone almost every day since Jared had given Jensen his cell phone number. Jared has asked about meeting in person but Jensen isn’t ready, is afraid. The coffee cup shudders in his hand. “Jared?” he asks again, although clearly the six-foot-four-inch vision before him cannot be anyone else. Jensen’s head swims and his face flushes and he can’t understand how Jared can be here. Had they agreed to meet in person and he had forgotten? Didn’t seem possible.

Meanwhile, Jared is having some sort of staring match with Mitch and Jared’s eyes aren’t filled with the warmth that Jensen has imagined all those times on the phone. They are a hard, icy gray and Jensen is frightened. Mitch takes a step back and blinks before returning to the back. Sally comes forward and asks Jared if she can get him anything.

Jared looks at her briefly. “You’re Sally.” His face breaks into a smile that Jensen has heard but never seen. The world brightens and Jensen thinks he really needs to sit down before he falls. And none of this explains how Jared could be here.

“Yeah,” Sally answers with a questioning lilt.

“Jensen has said so many nice things about you.”

She looks at Jensen a moment, puzzled, and then back at Jared. “Thanks. Um, what can I get you?”

Jared looks straight at Jensen when he answers. “Nothing. Got what I came for right here.”

Another customer approaches and Jared tugs Jensen’s sleeve and they step away from the counter. “Jensen? Jensen, say something. I know you didn’t want to meet yet. But … I just … don’t be mad.”

Jensen wants to talk. He does. He just forgot how.

They sit in a corner table. Well, Jared sits. Jensen sort of falls into the chair. Can’t speak.

“You’re taller than I pictured, Jensen. I mean, I know you told me you were over six feet … but I don’t know … I just … You’re just a little shorter than me. It’s … nice.” Jared’s smile grows until dimples appear. His eyes dance over Jensen’s face and Jensen couldn’t … didn’t … He really needs to go home. Be home.

Jensen tries to stand. Fails. And plops back on the seat with a woozy breath.

“You okay?” Jared asks. “I surprised you, didn’t I? I know I shouldn’t have. Just … I love talking to you and I thought … Please say something.”

Jensen shakes his mind. Runs prime numbers by until he can steady his breath. “Why did you come here? How did you know I’d be here?”

Even as the words finally make it out of his throat he knows the answer. Jensen comes here every day at the same time and he’s told Jared this and of course Jared found him. But that doesn’t answer the why.

“I wanted to see you. I knew you’d be here. And … I wanted … “ Jared runs a hand through his hair, lifting it off his forehead. His forehead is broad and his face angular. Eyes slanted and mouth wide, with a full lower lip. Jensen’s seen Jared’s photo when they exchanged pictures. But, Jared is more handsome than any photo could have shown. He’s … beautiful. And so out of Jensen’s league. What is Jensen thinking? That a man like this could possibly be interested in a shy little mouse who gets high on the Fibonacci sequence and collects Star Wars action figures? It’s laughable. So he laughs.

Jared laughs back. Then he asks, “What’s funny, Jen?”

Jensen is partially hysterical and his giggling has made his eyes itch so he takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes. “You. Me. Here.” He sobers instantly. He’s really enjoyed talking to Jared these past few weeks. They met in a rather unorthodox manner. Jensen was feeling exceptionally lonely and more than a little pathetic and he tried dialing a phone sex line. Only when he got someone on the line … he didn’t want to talk sex. Didn’t want to jerk off. Hell, he’d been having solo orgasms so long it was just the way life was. So he asked if the guy would just talk to him. About anything. About nothing.

And Jared did.

Jensen had called back the next day and they talked some more, only then something strange happened. Jared said he felt bad about taking Jensen’s money in this way. At least that’s the way he explained it later. All Jensen knew was that Jared gave him his cell phone number and said he could call any time.

And Jensen had a friend.

A friend who is staring at him now like … actually nobody ever stares at him like this. Is there latte foam on his lips? Only he doesn’t remember actually tasting the coffee. “What?” Jensen finally asks.

Jared leans forward a little into Jensen’s space. He feels some of Jared’s warmth, can imagine he hears his breathing. “Your eyes are gorgeous,” Jared declares.

Jensen blinks and puts his glasses back on. Jared stops him. “Oh. No, please, don’t do that yet. Wow. I … you had your glasses on in the photo you sent so I never saw … ” Jared’s face breaks into a smile again. “That photo didn’t do you much justice. Just stuck your arm out and took it yourself, right?”

Jensen nods. Who else would take it for him? This would involve talking. Asking.

Jared is looking at him again. Face slightly bemused and his eyes are filled with an expression that Jensen, for a crazy moment, thinks looks fond. Jared puts his hand out suddenly. “Nice to meet you, Jensen. I’m Jared.”

Jensen looks at the outstretched hand. It’s huge. He tries to remember if Jared ever mentioned having big hands. This makes him wonder what else is huge and his face heats up again, fire trickling down to his neck and all he can do is duck and try to suck in air. Jared touches his arm gently. “Jensen. It’s just me. We’ve gabbed for hours on the phone. I know I shouldn’t have surprised you like this. I’m sorry. But, it’s still just me.”

Jared withdraws his hand but Jensen can still feel the warmth where Jared’s cupped his arm. Jared lifts Jensen’s ignored coffee cup and brings it to his own lips. “Oh. Needs sugar, man.”

Jensen looks up at this. “Says the man who eats candy for breakfast.”

Jared’s smile is huge. His eyes glow. “You remembered that, eh? I’ll have you know I had cereal this morning.”

Jensen snorts a little. “Fruity Pebbles?”

“Hey. I might be gay but that doesn’t give you the right to insult my manhood.” His face breaks into a smirky grin. “Was Cocoa Pebbles.”

Jensen laughs. Like he has so many times with Jared. Only now Jared is right here. And his eyes are dancing and he is looking at Jensen like … like nobody ever has and Jensen feels the fear ebbing, shifting back to that manageable place. “Jared.”

“Yeah?”

“Nice to meet you, too.”

**_fin_ **

**Author's Note:**

> beta: borgmama1of5 at LiveJournal


End file.
